FFA students offer seatbelt awareness

CASSTOWN — On Tuesday, Sept. 15, as part of National Farm Safety Awareness Week, the Miami East-MVCTC FFA Chapter held a Seatbelt Awareness Activity. As students exited the parking lot at Miami East High School, the drivers were stopped and their seatbelts were checked.

If the student was wearing their seatbelt they received a “Smarties” candy for being smart about wearing their seatbelt. If the students were not wearing their seatbelts they were given a “DummDumm” sucker for making a bad decision and requested to put on their seatbelt immediately.

Results of the event proved that a majority of the drivers at Miami East High School do wear their seatbelt. Over 55 drivers and passengers were presented candy with 15.8 percent of drivers were not wearing their seatbelt. Of the students not wearing their seatbelt 66 percent were male and 33 percent were female. Similar results as were collected last year when 17.7 percent of drivers were not wearing their seatbelt.

The first seatbelt was in a Volvo vehicle in 1849. On Feb. 15, 1885, the seatbelt patent was given to Edward J. Claghorn. By the 1930s doctors were requesting the vehicles be equipped with the restraining device. By the 1950s they were seen regularly in automobiles. And legislation in 1966-1968 made them mandatory for all cars.

FFA members involved in this activity were Aly Jordan, Caitlin Fryman and Emily Thimmes.